Stakeholders and Transnational Projects

The project stakeholder literature has evolved into a voluminous body of knowledge in recent years. However, comparatively little research has focused on stakeholders in the context of transnational projects. Transnational projects in their entirety have become ubiquitous and very numerous over time, especially with the advent of globalization, and many exhibit an enormous level of technical complexity and resource-intensiveness, long durations, and their outcomes not only affect in both positive and negative ways the lives of millions of stakeholders but can also profoundly influence the relationship between states. Hence, given the very high economic, social and political stakes evidently associated with transnational projects and taking into consideration the now universal interest in and the great importance being accorded by project theoreticians and practitioners to project stakeholder management and engagement there is a need to carefully study and evaluate these projects in stakeholder perspective. Doing so can help identify and exploit existing opportunities to the fullest and also mitigate the risk of conflict or animosity arising between states with all its ensuing negative ramifications. For this exploratory research the authors have selectively examined dozens of high-profile and well documented transnational projects in the construction, transportation, energy, industrial manufacturing and other fields across the globe. Four distinct categories were identified under which transnational projects can be grouped, namely, cooperative, collaborative, integrative, and divisive, along with a fifth overlapping category wherein projects simultaneously exhibit both cooperative, collaborative or integrative, as well as divisive character. Each category is discussed with current and prominent examples. This project category spectrum constitutes a useful contextual framework which permits careful analysis and assessment of stakeholders’ key attributes, notably their respective interests, motivations and concerns regarding transnational projects, and consequently delivers important insights to the initiators, planners and executors of such projects through which practical, effective and ethical strategies and approaches can be devised and put into action which seek not only to ensure fair benefit and cost sharing among stakeholders but also that as many, if not all, stakeholders ultimately derive net benefits from the projects.